Love and War
by Belgaria
Summary: The Southern Water Tribe has been rebuilt and refortified to rival its sister Tribe. As a result, a festival of celebration is being held, and for the first time in two years Team Avatar is coming together. However, in the midst of celebration, there is a coup to take over the Tribe and make a new Nation. They're always steps ahead and the question is: Who's the mole? ZukoxKatara
1. Chapter 1

Love and War

Yay! New Fanfic! Btw, I don't own anything regarding ATLA. I don't know why I would.

* * *

Zuko was cold. Of course being near the Southern Water Tribe would mean being cold, but he wasn't expecting this. He breathed fire through his nose in a snort of exasperation.

He was standing at the bow of his ship, looking into the thin fog that seemed to be levitating neatly above the chunks of ice floating on the surface of the water. It was definitely a different world down south.

After the War had ended, Team Avatar had found a nice moment of triumph and peace; Zuko gave his speeches, they hung around his Uncle's tea shop and for a good while everything was perfect. Then the hard times came.

Assassination attempts were made on him every other week from small gangs who still wore the emblem of the Pheonix King, the Earth Kingdom needed to be able to trust the Fire Nation once more, and the people were in a flurry of chaos. Not to mention the Avatar had found a hidden herd of Sky Bison that he had been shepherding, so the world was without him for a few weeks.

Zuko closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then exhaled.

Sokka and Suki had gone back to their homes to help fortify and rebuild what was necessary; Sokka training to be the new Chief, and Suki training more Kyoshi warriors. Toph and Katara were working in the Earth Kingdom. They were helping with negotiations (Toph probably scared most of the people into doing what she wanted) and more peacemaking.

It had been a long time since he had seen any of them. He had written all of them on many different occasions but only a few times have any of them responded.

He envisioned a picture of an Earth Kingdom nobleman being thrown out of the palace with rocks in his mouth, with Toph looking satisfied and Katara moaning into her hands. He chuckled.

This was more than exciting for him, however he had enough pride that he wasn't going to let anyone see that. In the past year and a half, Zuko had been strangely happy. But only had his Uncle noticed. Most of it was that a huge part of his time was now open to his job because Mai had sort of left him after an incident with some Nobleman's daughter. Which hadn't been his fault. At all. Zuko didn't really mourn that part of his life.

They were drifting apart anyway.

"Firelord Zuko, sir! We have spotted the Southern Water Tribe outpost, sir. We should be there soon," the captain announced. He had come onto the deck to tell him.

"Thank you, captain," Zuko replied without looking back at the older man.

Zuko's mind began to wander again.

What was he thinking about? Right. He and Mai. That reminded him of something.

Zuko blinked.

_Were Aang and Katara still together?_ They probably haven't seen each other in ages. How old was the Avatar? Fifteen? Sixteen? Wow. That meant Toph was around that age as well.

He had to admit, he was pretty smitten with Katara for a while after the War had ended. He would be stupid to ignore her natural beauty. In fact, many guys have noticed her to the extent that she has grown bored of marriage proposals.

Zuko and Katara had become really close friends before they had parted ways for the time being. So much so, that her little anger issue with his "destiny" and "honor" and the whole "I must capture the Avatar" was just a joke.

Zuko smiled to himself as the crisp cool air blew his longish hair in front of his eyes.

Before they had left, the sparring matches between the Lady Katara and Firelord Zuko had been almost legendary. Two masters having it out on a wide open field that would be worn out by the time they finished; every time a draw.

Zuko stumbled a couple of steps forward as the boat lurched to a sudden stop.

The captain rushed out. "I'm sorry, sir! I couldn't see the ice!"

The old Zuko would've thrown the captain into the ice. However this one only stared calmly into the captain's eyes. "At least we're here," he replied.

The captain bowed, and Zuko stepped off of the ship wrapping his robes tighter around him. Curse his Uncle. Saying this was a beautiful time of year in the Southern Water Tribe. All he saw was white, white, and oh! Nope. More white. Then there was a flash of green.

"Oof!" Zuko grunted as a shortish, lean, green figure crashed into him. He stumbled back to gain his balance back, and looked down his chest. There was almost a familiarity to that black haired head….

"Toph?!" Zuko exclaimed almost happily.

She pulled back and Zuko noted that she had grown into quite an attractive young woman. However, he knew that if he told her that, she'd find a way to bury him six feet under. Or maybe ten times that deep.

"You've . . . grown," he finished lamely.

She socked him in the shoulder with a grin. "Not in spirit, I haven't! No room for improvement there! I'm so glad you're here, Sparks! Someone else needs to complain with me about how bland this place is."

They began walking towards the now tall wall protecting the city. Zuko looked up.

"The last time I was here -"

"You destroyed the wall looking for Aang," Toph finished for him.

"No!" he responded quickly and sharply. At Toph's raised eyebrow he slumped his shoulders a little. "Okay. Maybe. But the walls were at least a quarter of this size. Not to mention there weren't any actual ice buildings. Just little hut things. And -"

Toph mimicked a yawn. "As much as I love your trip down memory lane, let's put it on hold for a while, 'kay?"

A thought occurred to Zuko as they walked through the gate which was guarded by two stationary blue furred guards with spears. "Toph, how do you . . . see? There's no ground. Like earth ground."

Toph shrugged. "There's still minerals in the ice you know. And some of the foundations for the new buildings that Sokka has designed have metal in them, so I know where most of the large structures are. It's like traveling in the desert for the first time. Everything's fuzzy, but I can make do."

Zuko gaped at the new Southern Water Tribe. Now he knew why the Tribe was holding a festival in honor of this accomplishment. It was a really huge accomplishment. And even that description didn't do the place any justice.

There were still huts on the outskirts of the main town thingy in little clumps on the snowy hills farther upwards. The main civilization however had more to it than ever before.

Toph, seeming to sense what he was thinking, spoke aloud. "Yeah, Hakota got a bunch of water benders to help him and Sokka refurbish the place. Katara helped some as well."

Zuko then voice the next question he'd been dying to ask. "Who else is here?"

Toph led Zuko into a large, beautiful, but strong, capital looking thing and he followed her through the halls, not really paying attention to where she was leading him.

"Well, out of Team Avatar, besides Snoozles, you and me, only Kata -"

Toph was interrupted by a yell of excitement and for the second time, Zuko was tackled into a hug. However this time ice creeped halfway up his calves to keep him from falling backwards.

"Ow."

"Speak of the devil."

"Firelord Zuko!" Katara stepped back, beaming. Her blue eyes were bright with happiness.

Katara, too, had blossomed even more; the tales of all of her suiters finally making a little more sense to the Firelord. Her hair was longer, she had gotten a little taller, and her eyes were more mature; telling him that she understood more than she let on.

"Hi. Katara," he mumbled, rubbing his side. Katara still was stronger than she realized.

"Zuko." Katara looked him up and down and the ice holding him dissipated into the floor. "You've gotten . . . taller. You're hair's grown out too."

Zuko crossed his eyes and looked up, seeing his hair hanging halfway down his eyes. "Well . . . I can cut it if you like."

"No!" Katara said hastily. "It's gor - fine. It's just . . . different."

Toph coughed into her hand and it sounded strangely like the words 'Nice" and "Save."

"You . . . look nice . . . too?" Zuko tried. He'd never really been that good at socializing. Or explaining himself. That was made apparent when he had first tried to offer himself up as the Avatar's master.

Katara smiled softly, then she perked up. "Hey! Sokka will want to say hi to you! You might want to be careful. He got a new boomerang and he's really not that . . . practiced with it as his old one."

Toph snorted as they began walking to who knew where. "What Sugar Queen over here means is that you should watch out or your eyes will get pricked out."

They entered a large room floored with carpets and lined with shelves. There were two fur seats in front of a large desk with a large fur seat behind it. In the seat, studying what looked like blueprints, was a vaguely familiar looking young man with a steadily growing beard and a ver familiar warrior's wolf tail.

"S-o-k-k-a!" Katara called out softly. Sokka didn't look up.

"Hold on Katara!" Zuko noticed his voice had gotten deeper. "I'm almost done with this really cool design that will definitely help penguin traffic."

"Oh, come on! Zuko's here!"

That made Sokka leap out of his chair and almost give Zuko a hug, before he decided against it when Zuko sort of glared down into his soul. Sokka gave a nervous chuckle before he awkwardly stuck out his hand for a handshake.

Zuko felt a moment of satisfaction when he realized he was still a couple of inches taller than Sokka.

"When is your girlfriend going to be here?" Zuko asked Sokka.

"Who, Suki?" Toph turned around to laugh. The Water Tribe Warrior hadn't changed. "Oh, she's coming any day now. The festival does start two days from now. Did you know the people are going to elect people for the council! It's amazing how much this place has grown."

Sokka looked up into space and sighed in content. "Is Aang back yet?" he asked Katara.

Katara shook her head. "I have no idea when he's supposed to be back. He hasn't told me what he's doing or where he is in a while."

Toph, who had found the fur covered chairs, sat up in interest. "Katara, when was the last time you did talk to Aang? I mean, you guys are still together, right?"

Zuko and Sokka were now listening with great interest now. The Master Waterbender blushed. "Ish. Maybe. We haven't really talked about it!" she added defensively.

Toph raised an eyebrow. "By 'haven't really' you mean a year and a half, almost three quarters."

Katara sighed. "I guess so."

Sokka patted his sister sympathetically on her shoulder. "C'mon, Katara! Let's go find Dad! He'll love to see Zuko again! He still can't thank you enough for that whole Boiling Rock scenario."

Zuko scratched behind his left ear. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Pshaw!" Sokka scoffed. "You're his biggest hero. Anything you ask from him, he probably won't hesitate to try and make it happen. Probably. The only thing I could think of that'd he'd really have to think about would be Katara."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other in shock, both of their cheeks flushed, then looked at Sokka.

"We've never been together!" they both said at the same time.

The talkative Water Tribe Warrior put both hands up in surrender. "I learn from what I hear."

Zuko and Katara exchanged glances as Toph and Sokka left the room ahead of them. It hadn't been the first time by a long shot that someone had asked them if the rumors that June had spread for fun were true. Seems like they haven't fully died down.

"I guess it's time to say hello to your father," Zuko said. Katara nodded. He stepped aside to let her pass first.

"Ever the Royal Gentleman," Katara said as she walked past him.

When Katara walked in front of him, her right hand brushed his as she turned the corner to go down the hall; the small touch making both of them pause with their hearts beating in the silence.

"Uh . . . sorry," Zuko said awkwardly.

"It's not a problem. It's okay," Katara said to the handsome Firelord. As she turned away, Katara mentally slapped herself.

_Since when have I become skiddish around Zuko?_

_Since you noticed how much he's grown. Not only physically, which is quite nice to look at, but his character. Just look into those golden eyes and you'll see how much he's grown_, she answered herself.

_Stop it_! Katara commanded herself. She glanced to her left when Zuko came up next to her, matching her stride with his. She saw Sokka and Toph not that far away from them.

She hasn't even talked with him for a full hour yet, and already she's impressed. But there was one thing that had not changed about this Master Firebender: she still didn't know what to fully think about him and she didn't think she ever would.

-Belgaria

PS: Review! Follow! Favorite! Do something! Make me happy! Depending on the reviews, I will make the next chapters longer. Maybe like twice as long as this one. I have plans for this story. Developed it more than my other story….which I'm still working on.

Review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Love and War**

Chapter II

I don't own ATLA. Deal with it.

I love your input! Keep it up!

This chapter is mostly just more character development, setting up the story, etc. Please don't get too impatient :)

* * *

They met up with Hakoda of the Water Tribe soon after. Katara hadn't seen her father in ages, and when she saw him in front of her it was like nothing had changed.

Hakoda looked the same as the last time she saw him; after she had helped build the walls months back. However, this time she noticed some gray creeping into his beard and realized that her goofy brother was going to be thrust into a position of power really soon.

"Dad!" she and Sokka cried out simultaneously.

They both hugged him at once, and Hakoda chuckled, the vibrations bringing comfort to Katara.

"It's always good to see both my children after a hard day's work. How are you doing?" Hakoda asked them warmly.

"Oh, you know. Snoozles is organizing penguin traffic and Sweetness over here is not ready to talk about her boy problems," Toph answered for both of them.

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "Katara. Is the _Avatar _not good enough for you?"

Katara flushed as everyone's eyes went to her. "I . . . well . . . we . . ."

Hakoda chuckled and smiled warmly. "I'm only joking. I know that you have excellent reasons for everything you do. Just . . . if you move past Aang, don't pick one that will cause me too much trouble."

Katara flushed even more, if possible, and Sokka snickered into his hand. Zuko shifted uncomfortably and Toph seemed quite amused.

"Chief! A message has been received from the Northern Tribe!" said a voice from the entrance of the great room they were in.

Hakoda took a small scroll from the teen who had delivered it and dismissed him from the room.

"Bato requires aid on a fishing expedition."

Sokka and Zuko exchanged glances (they were the only two men there), each clearly expressing how much they didn't want to go.

Hakoda rolled up the scroll. "I'll send a young boy to do it. I need your hands to help me set all of this stuff up."

Hakoda turned around and Zuko let out an audible sigh of relief.

Katara smiled to herself. This Zuko was nice to hang around. It was like the last two weeks before they had to go their separate ways; he was fascinating to watch and observe.

Three years ago, Zuko would've made a point of making sure that everyone knew that he was Fire Nation. Not to mention Firelord. Actually, that Zuko was starting to fade away by the end of the War.

Katara still kept the memory in her head of how he risked his life for hers when Azula tried to send lightning through her. How he was on the thin line between life and death. And how she had healed him just in time, and how he had looked at her with the most sincere gratitude that she had ever seen before as she softly brushed his chest with her healing fingers. His impressively strong che -

Katara shook her head to clear it. This was a highly inappropriate time to be thinking about that. She glanced at Zuko and saw that his golden eyes were searching her sea blue ones. They both quickly looked away after making eye contact.

"- Avatar will be here," Hakoda was saying as he sat down in a nearby chair.

"What about Aang?" Katara asked, slightly embarrassed. Katara was known for her keen ears.

Hakoda looked at her funny, but Sokka responded for him. "Aang sent a messenger saying he would be here tomorrow!"

Toph grinned. "See Sweetness? You're bald knight in shining armor will come after all!"

Zuko just blinked.

Hakoda, who had been discussing penguin traffic once more with his son, stood up. "I apologize, but I really must go. I need to help the people who are setting up the celebration get a little more organized. People from other Nations are coming and I want to make an impression."

He winked then left. Before anyone could say anything to anyone, and before Sokka's stomach could tell his mouth that it was hungry, the door opened once more revealing a familiar tan, wrinkled face.

"Gran-Gran!" Katara and Sokka cried simultaneously.

"Must you always do that when someone walks into a room?" Zuko mumbled. However, Toph was the only one who heard him and she chuckled.

Sokka pulled back from the large hug his grandmother had given him. "I'm really sorry, Gran-Gran, but I need to help Dad test out his new sleds. Zuko, I'm going to need your help. We are . . . uh . . . _sort of _low on firewood."

Zuko glanced in Katara's direction. She was in an in depth conversation with her grandmother who he had last seen on the day that he had first seen Aang in person. He glanced at Toph who started walking towards the Water Tribe Warrior.

"I'll go. I've got nothing better to do," she said as she kicked a stray piece of ice through the doorframe. "It's not like there are a bunch of rocks lying around."

Zuko shrugged. "I'll help. Just don't expect me to power your new _batteries_. I really hate using lightning. It's . . . it doesn't settle well with me." He subconsciously rubbed his chest.

Sokka clapped the taller man on the shoulder.

"Zuko!"

Zuko stopped walking and turned his head so that Katara was in his right eye's line of vision.

"I was going to say . . . I mean . . . I'd like to spar with you later today. If that's okay. I've heard you've gotten better from Iroh and I haven't seen you in a while, so I was going to make sure you hadn't scheduled anything for later this afternoon and -"

"Sure," Zuko interrupted Katara's rambling with a small smile.

Katara flushed a little bit. "Sorry. I mean, thanks. I mean . . . have fun."

Zuko followed Sokka out and made sure that no one saw that he was smiling and had added an extra spring to his step.

Toph noticed. Toph noticed everything; she was, after all, a blind earthbender. She smiled to herself. She could still feel Katara's quick heartbeat as she left the room, and Sparky's was just as impressively fast.

_I wonder if they're aware of how much they affect each other . . ._

* * *

Gran-Gran was smarter than Toph. Well, at least wiser. Which, arguably, is quite similar.

This meant she had noticed the odd chemistry between the two Master Benders almost immediately.

"You haven't seen the Firelord in a while," she said to her granddaughter surreptitiously.

Katara was still looking at the door. "Yeah," she said absentmindedly.

"He's grown since I last saw him," Gran-Gran commented.

"Yeah, he's really grown into something," Katara said. Then she realized what she had said. "I mean, he's grown into his title as . . . Firelord." Katara finished lamely.

Gran-Gran smiled. "You're how old? Seventeen? It won't be long before you replace that betrothal necklace of your mother with your own."

Katara flushed. "Zuko and I aren't getting married!" she argued indignantly.

Regardless of what she said, Katara was aware of how strongly the extraordinarily handsome firebender affected her. And it really bothered her. It wasn't like she and Aang were that close anymore. If anything, they were more siblings than anything.

After the War, she and him had been together and had believed that their relationship would be a lasting one. However, it was soon clear how much their personalities lacked that special click. Aang loved to goof around, and he was fun to talk with; his kisses light and comforting.

But Katara wanted more than just fun. She wanted a serious conversation, a challenging personality, a kiss that left her wanting more, and she could tell Aang had begun to see that.

"I never said that," Gran-Gran said. She fondly patted Katara's shoulder. "Do an old woman a favor: live your life while you can. An attraction as strong as the one you posses doesn't happen often, and it certainly should be treasured."

Gran-Gran left the room to do who knows what while Katara stood there confused. She was torn and she didn't know what to do. She had no proof saying that Zuko even acknowledged her 'little' crush.

With that though in her mind, Katara shook off her worries. She had more important things to work on and do that focus on her almost non-existent love life.

Katara stalked through the halls until she came outside into contact with the cool, crisp air. She bended the ice near her feet into an ice staff and began walking towards the port where she knew she was needed to help expand it for the incoming people expected in the next few days.

What she didn't notice as she descended down the large ice steps leading from the Central Building to the main road was the man standing in the shadow of the new structure, watching her with his cold deep, deep, deep blue eyes like a wolf watches a deer, ready to hunt.

* * *

A tallish man with an impressively dark beard entered the dark cave with a purpose. He was wrapped in the Southern Tribe robes, and he approached a lean figure sitting facing the opposite side of the cave, wrapped in a dark red robe with a wolf's head sewn into the back of it.

"You don't understand. She's powerful. They all are. It's going to take a lot to take them down," the first man began.

"I can wait," replied the second figure in a deep, gravelly voice. "I have time to wait. I will not let this time pass uselessly."

"So we aren't worried about them?"

"I myself never underestimated them like you did. All it takes is time, planning and well chosen words. After all, this plan does require trust."

"I am afraid I don't follow . . ."

"We need to get to her first. From her the brother, dad, and friends follow. And by friends I mean -

"The Avatar."

"DON'T interrupt," the second man snapped. He gave a deep breath. "What we need is an opportunity. An opportunity to strike . . ."

* * *

"Ready?" Katara called across the open arena that used to be the center of the old town; the group of huts that used to be the town.

"Are _you_?" Zuko taunted back as he took off his robes, dressed as if taking part in a formal Agni Kai.

Katara saw him drop his robes on the ground by his feet and was glad she could admire him from a distance. She shook herself mentally. Technically she still had a boyfriend. This was getting annoying.

Katara drew water from the air.

"Aaaaannnddd…...GO!" Sokka shouted from the edge of the wide open area.

Both Master Benders rushed at each other at full speed. The second he was close enough, Zuko blasted above Katara's head and landed behind her, taking the chance to nick her with an intentionally thin fire whip.

Katara wasn't fazed and responded by making the Firelord's legs sink into the snow. Zuko responded with a giant explosion, making Katara fly back, but she caught herself and gracefully slid through the air on a thin track of ice.

On the sidelines, Sokka was watching in fascination as his sister and his friend sparred with an amazing grace and power that he had never been able to understand.

Her Water and his Fire came together in a beautiful exchange; like a dance.

A quick dance, anyway. Never in his life has Sokka ever been able to move as fast and as fluidly as his sister did against Zuko. of course, he wasn't going to tell her that anytime soon.

Katara launched a powerful spiral of water towards Zuko, who in response moved his hands in a smooth circular motion, causing a giant wheel of fire to appear, evaporating the cool liquid launched at him. He did a leg sweep, trying to get her feet to fall from underneath her, but she jumped, lifted her hands and then . . . disappeared.

Sokka stood up and looked around in concern. "Zuko!" he shouted to his scarred friend.

Zuko was about to shout back when a strong stream of water formed from mid-air to his left and slammed him in the side. All of this happening within ten seconds.

Zuko was on his back and, the breath having been knocked out of him, propped himself up on his elbows, breathing heavily. He blew hair out of his eyes, but it flopped back.

The air shimmered in front of him and a wall of water splashed down onto the ice, revealing Katara standing there beaming.

"Like my new trick?" she asked him as she sat down next to him.

He was struggling with the quick loss he had suffered from her, as well as the growing bruise on his side. Not wanting to show his wounded pride, he merely raised an eyebrow.

Katara chuckled. "I'll tell you about it later, then."

She looked in his direction to make sure she hadn't hurt him too bad, but he seemed fine. Zuko seemed a little shocked and Katara took the moment to study him fully after two years of absence from her life.

He had definitely gotten more muscular, but not in a frighteningly large way, but in an attractive lean sort of way. His hair had grown out, quite long now that it wasn't held up by his special Firelord pendant thingy, and she liked it.

Zuko's eyes were different. They had a new element of humility in them. No longer did she see the arrogant, overly prideful firebender she had travelled with; now she saw a King. A leader.

The only thing that hadn't changed was his scar. And Katara was glad he had kept it. He had once told her it was a reminder and a way to keep him from falling down the road that his family had before him so many times. It wasn't just his respect for it that made her glad it was still there; it was also the way it made his handsome face seem more rugged and almost mysterious. It made sense that he had gotten as many tips about marriages as she had.

"WOAH! That was . . . it was . . . woah!" Sokka yelled as he ran towards his sister, voice cracking to make him sound like he did during the War.

Katara blushed. "It was nothing really. Just the product of a lot of practice."

Sokka stood over her in a bubble of excitement. "I am so using that for a new design for our ships now! You used reflection right? This is so cool!" Without waiting for a response, Sokka sprinted off.

Leaving her with -

"How's life been for you?" Katara asked Zuko conversationally.

Zuko shrugged. "It's been pretty good. Although, I am glad to come down here for the time being. Firelord is a tough job. Especially with the war generals wanting to conquer again and with all of the Nations waiting in fear for the Fire Nation to re-burn the world."

He looked over at her and Katara avoided making eye contact, and let him study her.

Zuko then looked away again. He fell onto his back in the ice and Katara did the same; both of them looking at the cloudless blue sky.

"It's nice being able to talk to you again," he said quietly.

Katara's eyes widened a little in surprise in response to his small comment, but Zuko didn't notice. She regained her composure.

"I really missed our old talks as well." Katara turned her head so that she was looking at the side of his face, the side without the scar.

He chuckled. "Three years ago, I never would've thought we would even be talking to each other." He turned his head so that they were both facing each other.

Katara smiled. "Depending on where you want to go on our timeline during the War, either you would've burnt me to crisp, or I would've frozen you a thousand times over."

Zuko shifted so that he was on his side facing her, his head held up by his hand, and he just studied her face.

She blushed a little. "What?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. "It just seems like something's different, that's all…"

Katara opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted as a large form rolled down the hill they were lying on in a flurry of snow. Zuko leapt towards Katara and managed to move her out of the way just as the form whizzed past her so close that her hair moved in the object's wake.

"What the -?"

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked Katara.

She was laying on her back, and he was directly above her, his face near hers, his upper body held up by his elbows. Katara looked him in the eyes for a few seconds.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks. Can you get off me now?" Katara asked him evenly, perfectly aware of the position they were in.

He rolled off and stood, helping her up.

"What was that?" Zuko asked.

"I have no idea…" Katara trailed off as she waterbent her way to where the large object had stopped. When she approached closer, she realized it was a man. A rather tallish man with a defined jawline, and a stubble beginning to show along it.

In fact, he was quite pleasing to look at, but Katara didn't let her girlish thoughts cloud her just judgement.

"Zuko, I need you to help me get him into town."

The Firelord silently did as she requested. As they trekked up the hill towards the newly restored Southern Water Tribe, well the city part of it, Katara couldn't help admiring the mystery man's elaborate dark red robe and the wolf head intricately sewn into the back of it.

* * *

-Belgaria

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	3. Chapter 3

**Love and War**

**Sorry if it seems rushed. I've been busy with Christmas. Plus my computer has been having HUGE issues and URG!**

**Anywho, enjoy!**

**I don't own ATLA.**

* * *

Zuko was sitting on the ground next to the mattress on the ground that held the man who had almost unknowingly ran over him. Well, Katara anyway.

He hadn't taken his eyes off of the mystery man for a full day, mostly out of fear. Regardless of what he had told the others, he knew fully well what that emblem on the back of the man's robe meant. What it stood for.

Zuko had seen it too often, and was ready to get rid of it. If this man had any business with that emblem, he was ready to get it horribly.

Zuko heard footsteps approaching from behind him, and turned only his head.

"Hi."

"Hey, Toph," Zuko greeted the petite earthbender.

"Someone sounds like a ray of sunshine today." Toph plopped down next to Zuko and stared into space. But Zuko knew better.

"You're thinking about something," Zuko commented.

Toph shrugged. "So are you."

They sat in what for normal people would consider an awkward silence, but what was, for them, comfortable.

"Katara said Aang was going to be here later today," Toph said out loud into their little silence.

Zuko didn't look away from the unconscious form in front of him. "That's great. I haven't seen the Avatar in forever."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "I've noticed you've been retreating on us lately, Sparky. Care to share with a friendly blind girl?"

Zuko didn't say anything, his facial expression not changing.

"You sound just like you did way back when." Toph nudged him with her shoulder in a friendly way. "Mostly because I can't see. It's okay, though. It's good to have someone quieter to be with."

She looked his way with a small smile. "Snoozles has been talking non-stop about his girlfriend in Kyoshi, and good ol' Sweetness hasn't left me alone about this new guy she can't stop thinking about."

Zuko turned his head towards Toph, startled. She just chuckled.

"What?" he asked, his voice cracking in a very un-Firelordly way.

Toph stood up. "You'll have to think for yourself here, pal. I'm going to go see if the mountain Sokka keeps talking about is real. I need some real earth soon, or everyone's going to be miserable with me."

Zuko could only watch Toph's back retreat in confused wonder.

He looked back at the mystery man's back with a concentrated scowl. What was it to him, whether or not shehad her mind on a guy other than her boyfriend?

_It could be you_, a voice said in the back of his head.

He snorted softly. _Yeah, and tiger-turtles'll fly._

At the moment, Zuko was glad that this man had shown up. It gave him something else to think about rather than what was going on inside his head.

* * *

Katara was thinking about what she should say to Aang regarding their relationship when he came to the Southern Water Tribe later that day. It wasn't like he couldn't see it coming; the Avatar hadn't contacted even her during his absence away from the world to stay with his new Sky Bison.

She felt really guilty because it was out of character for her to think so much of what she wanted rather than what others were feeling. It was a new sensation and it really set her on edge. In other words: Katara was kind ofstressed.

"For the last time, Sokka, it doesn't go like that," she said through gritted teeth.

"I know, but I really like it this way. If the tent were set up in the way you want it to, then it wouldn't be special," he brother said.

Katara splashed cold water in his face and left him there shivering and glaring at her.

"Fine, Katara. We'll do it the 'right' way."

Katara was just about done. "It's not just my way, Dad wants it like that too!" she snapped. Then she stalked away.

This was almost as bad as when she tried to take charge when Toph had first joined their trip to help Aang regain his rightful place as the recognized Avatar.

Katara shook her head a little to shake off the little things that were eating her up, and she walked to one of the small group of huts outside of the main town, and then entered one of the huts.

In front of her were two unconscious men; one being a familiar Firelord who had probably fallen asleep watching the other man, who was the handsome man that had fallen almost on top of her. And who was in a sleep-like coma state and hadn't woken up for a couple of days.

She stepped over Zuko and went to the opposite wall where there were some blankets stacked up, and she grabbed the top two and draped them carefully over her friend.

Katara could've smiled. The Firelord looked so trouble free when he was asleep, it was almost funny.

There was a cough from the mattress, and Katara looked up quickly, and startled.

The man in the mysterious red robe perched himself up on his elbows and, still coughing, shook his head and blinked in a way that made Katara think he was dazed.

He then looked at her confused. "Who are you?"

* * *

Zuko was just about ready to burn this ice pit. He was incredibly cold. Never had a Firelord been frozen to death, let alone a Firelord who was a Master Firebender.

Not to mention, these blankets didn't help. What was up with these stupid blankets anyw -

He then saw a familiar flash of blue stepping over him towards the bed. Ah. Katara.

What was she doing going over there? Then he saw past her, and spotted that the man was awake.

"Wait!" Zuko scrambled to his feet and jumped in between Katara and the red robed man, ready to burn the man's head off. "Don't touch him, Katara."

They both stared at him as if he had just gone insane.

"Uh, I apologize, mate, if I look anything like anyone you know, but as you know," the man flashed Zuko a charming white toothed smile, "we don't get to choose what we look like."

Zuko narrowed his eyes.

Katara peeked over Zuko's shoulder to get a look at the man. "Zuko, you haven't seen this man before, have you?"

Zuko sounded sort of dumb when he answered her question. "Uh, no."

He could hear Katara's smile, and refused to look back at her, instead looking into the man's amused greenish greyish eyes, ready to attack if the man attacked first.

"Well, then why are you trying to kill him?" Katara asked Zuko sweetly.

"His robe -" Zuko began.

"This old thing? You really want to kill a guy just because he has a different style in fashion? Sorry if I offended you, mate. By the way, you're a lucky guy, with a girl like that." The man nodded his head in Katara's direction with a small smile on his face.

Zuko didn't turn around. He didn't really want to see Katara falling under the guy's charm. He'd seen women fall easily for men who played their cards right, and it really didn't sit well with him that it may be happening to Katara at that moment.

"She's not my girlfriend," Zuko said.

"He's not my boyfriend," Katara said in sync with Zuko.

The man swung his legs over the side of the bed and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm starving."

"You'll have to wait," Zuko growled.

"What's your problem?" the man asked. He wasn't mad or irritated yet. That made Zuko mad and irritated.

"Zuko!" Katara pushed Zuko to the side, and the Firelord glared at her.

"Where did you get that robe?" Zuko asked the man.

The man looked down at his robe in genuine curiosity. "Now that you mention it, I have no idea. I guess I must've nicked it from someone's yard from their cleaning pile. I have traveled many places in a short amount of time. A guy can only keep money in his pocket for so long."

"I don't believe you," Zuko said in a low voice.

Katara looked at Zuko in astonishment. "Do you treat everyone you meet like this the first time you meet them?"

"If you knew the history of that emblem -" Zuko began.

"I've never seen it or heard of it before," Katara interrupted him.

"That's because it's a secret emblem!"

"Well, what does it stand for?" Katara put her hands on her hips.

"I . . . I'm technically not allowed to say . . ." Zuko's voice trailed into a mumble.

"What I don't understand, Zuko is why you would make something up so absurd just to get at a man you don't even know!" Katara knew she should stop, but she was really worked up at the moment, even if she had earlier been practicing her speech for dumping her boyfriend for the guy in front of her.

"Making stuff up?! You think - URG!" Zuko blew a frustrated blast of fire from his nose in total exasperation. "You've got to believe me!"

The man was watching the exchange between the two in amusement and fascination, completely forgotten by the two Master Benders.

"I've known you long enough to know when you're trying to hide something from me! Something is being kept away from me, and I want to know what!"

"I . . . I can't!" Zuko's voice squeaked as he protested.

"Zuko. Please leave before you do something rash. I don't want this man's first opinion of the Firelord to be one of distaste."

"Oh! The Firelord!" the man said in his unique accent. "Nice to meet your acquaintance."

"I really just want to -" Zuko took a threatening step forward.

Katara stepped in front of him and looked Zuko steadily in the eyes. "Zuko, leave."

And, reluctantly, Zuko left.

* * *

"I'm really sorry for my friend," Katara apologized to the man.

He shrugged. "The poor kid has a lot on his shoulders."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Kid? You don't appear much older than him."

"He's what? Eighteen? Nineteen?" the man shrugged. "I'm twenty one, but I still consider him a kid. He's acting like one, and it's okay," he added when Katara opened her mouth to respond.

Katara closed her mouth and smiled. "I'll go get you some food, now Mr….."

The man smiled. "Call me Figaro."

"Sounds foreign. And I've been all over the world," Katara commented with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, it is. I've come from a really long ways away. Really. Far. Away."

* * *

-Belgaria

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	4. Chapter 4

**Love and War**

**I don't own ATLA.**

* * *

**Chapter IV**

* * *

Zuko sprinted across the snowy plains as quick as he could through the thick snow. His feet felt heavy, and his throat dry. He looked up at the clear blue sky, then looked west.

Zuko gritted his teeth when he saw the large grey cloud creeping its way towards him.

He continued to run. He had to find his proof. The last time he had heard of these people, they had had a settlement (well, a base) on the other side of the canyon farther south from the Southern Water Tribe.

His uncle had been struggling with these people's trust for the longest time, and it was just painful to see them walk around with all that they knew.

They were an un-named group of bounty hunters; a tribe of wanderers and spies that had an agreed headquarters. The last time Zuko had actually talked with one of them had been a while back, and that was incredibly torturous.

The cloak and the emblem that the man had worn - the snow started melting beneath Zuko's feet.

The group that had made a pact to that emblem gave Zuko and his uncle chills. They called themselves the Phoenix Ren; the people of the Phoenix. They were almost a religious group; one that made a point of where they stood when they burned down three whole Earth Kingdom towns, leaving only a man impaled on a pole with the left side of his face painted red and the word "Scarred Death" written on his chest plate.

Zuko had made a huge deal in making the existence of this group secret, so that his people and allies would stay away from the temptation to disrupt the New Peace after the War. And because he had believed the group to be a lot smaller than it really was, and that he would be able to deal with the problem quickly.

As it turns out, they were growing in power and in influence.

There had been assassination attempts, raids, murders, kidnaps, and even coups for power from these people. In other words: they were dangerous and they were gaining power.

The Bounty Hunters knew more about this strange new religious group than any people or person in the world, however they knew this and are more than willing to take advantage of their knowledge.

Zuko was glad his uncle had sent him with a lot of money.

A cold, sharp breeze came through, and Zuko felt his nose get numb. A light shower of snow began its way to the ground.

Being the Firelord was torture. Especially when negotiating. Zuko glared at the giant chasm that was getting nearer to him.

He shouldn't have made that deal. He hadn't known what was going to happen. He had gotten zero warning. Now, he was afraid that his action to protect was going to end in death.

* * *

Katara didn't know what to think about this man sleeping in the tent behind her. He seemed nice and innocent enough, but from past experience, she knew that to think that about a person was complete foolishness.

She looked up at the blue sky and the storm approaching from the west. Her father had predicted a heavy storm later that night.

Katara looked back at the hut, nodded to the soldier guarding the entrance, and left to go to the Central Building where she knew her father was.

She was halfway there when Sokka turned up breathless as if he had ran a long ways.

"Katara! I am so glad I found you! Have you seen Toph? She was leaving to see if Dad had any news on Suki and Aang's arrival, but she hasn't returned to me, and she never went to see Dad," Sokka sounded panicked.

Katara's heart skipped a beat. Now that she thought about it, it had been quite a while since she had seen a certain Firelord . . .

"Well, have you seen Zuko?"

Sokka thought for a second, then shook his head.

"No. Do you think they went somewhere together?"

Katara hesitated, an image of the pretty earthbender and the handsome Firelord _together_ flashing through her mind then she dismissed it. She was being stupid.

Sokka looked horrified as if he had just conjured up the image that Katara had.

"You don't think -" he trailed off.

Katara shook her head. "There's no way," she said firmly. "Toph would kill him if he tried and vise versa. If they are together, they're probably just out on a walk or something."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "I know when my little sister is worried, you know."

They both started walking briskly towards the Central Building.

"We should go see Dad," Katara said.

"Fine. Just curious, do you think they went off because you were being controlling again?" Sokka asked Katara bluntly.

She looked at him startled then she looked forwards. "I don't know."

They were silent for a while until they came to the stairs that led up towards the building.

Sokka stopped and made Katara face him. "Katara, if something were bothering you, would you talk to me about it? If someone said or did something to you, would you tell me?"

Katara looked up into her brother's concerned blue eyes and almost cried when she saw how much love and concern for her was in his eyes. "Sokka, you know I would."

"Even if it was personal?"

Katara was surprised. Did Sokka know about her harbored feelings towards the Firelo -

No. That was irrational thinking. Irrational and paranoid.

"Yes," she answered him after a brief, half a second pause.

He caught it, and raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything and they both walked towards their dad's workroom.

"So, how was the stranger? Does he seem trustworthy?" Sokka asked.

Katara shrugged. "When I talked to him he seemed nice. I think he's quite charming actually. Apart from the fact that Zuko seems to hate his guts, I think he's okay."

"Zuko what?"

"I don't know. He took one look at the man's cloak and what was on it and he completely flipped out. It made no sense. And he really was careful about what he said to me. It was like he was hiding something. Something really important."

Sokka furrowed his brows but didn't say anything.

"I got his name, though," Katara said. "He calls himself 'Figaro'. I haven't heard a name like it before."

Sokka shook his head. "Neither have I, but if anyone would know, Dad would. Or we could send a messenger hawk to General Iroh."

They stopped in front of the large doors leading into their dad's workplace.

Katara smiled fondly at her older brother. "You really want to use that new messenger hawk Bato gave you, don't you?"

Sokka gave a goofy grin. "You know I do! Oh, and by the way Katara, I forgive you for getting worked up at me. It was really nothing. Toph has gotten mad at me before and WOW. I never knew one could fit so many rocks in his mouth."

Katara smiled, then her smile slowly faded. "I just hope Aang gets here soon. If Zuko and Toph don't show up before this storm hits, we're going to need all of the help we can get."

* * *

Figaro was truly content. They had seen him, helped him, trusted him, and finally had given him their hospitality.

The festival was the day after the next and he was ready to play his part. He had thought about it for the longest time, and he had planned every possible detail out.

However, he hadn't expected the Firelord to have come. He had gotten word that the raids had kept the young Firebender occupied.

But it didn't matter. As long as the rest of them trusted him, there was nothing, _nothing _the Firelord could say or do to ruin his plans.

Figaro smiled to himself and wrapped his cloak tighter around him.

Oh, how he loved to play the innocent. It was an experience that never grew old.

He rolled onto his back and stared at the roof of the small hut he was in.

All that was extremely crucial was the girl, the Avatar, and their trust in him. If he got that, he would easily be able to do what he had come to do.

It was a good thing he was young and handsome, and that the girl was one of the most exotic looking women he had ever seen.

Compared to what had happened in the Earth Kingdom Colonies, this was a breeze.

* * *

Zuko was in the canyon when the storm hit. The snow sliced through the air above him, and the wind blew all around him; the canyon acting like a wind tunnel.

As Zuko descended deeper down into the icy canyon, though, the wind grew fainter and eventually was gone.

The Firelord jumped down the last six feet and blew some warm air into cupped hands. He would have to wait out the storm. Great.

Zuko sat down on the ice and looked down. He couldn't believe what he saw, but beneath a thin layer of ice was . . . ground. Dirt. Earth.

Zuko didn't hesitate to melt down and evaporate a large circle of the ice he was sitting on and to warm the dirt underneath. It was a good thing he was a firebender, otherwise this whole trip would be hell.

Also, Zuko was pretty proud of himself for packing a nice pack of necessities. Like a blanket. And a cloak. And a robe. Oh, and food.

He had set up camp quite nicely and was calmly meditating. He sat criss crossed, his forearms resting on his knees with his palms facing up, each holding a small ball of fire.

As he breathed in, the fire grew brighter, and as he exhaled, the fire lost its momentary boost of power.

It was an exercise his uncle had taught him at the beginning of his training for moments of physical discomfort to relax his mind and spirit so that they could wander in such a way that would draw all thought from his physical discomfort. In other words, he couldn't feel a thing when in this state. Unless hit really hard, or yelled at.

Which just happened to happen right as his mind had settled on the familiar blue eyed, tanned waterbender.

Zuko opened his eyes to find himself on his back and he quickly hopped up and his his head on a . . . roof?

He created a small flame in his right palm and lifted it up so that it illuminated the small square room. He turned around and almost made an oven of the solid makeshift house.

"Toph?!"

Sure enough, the earthbender was sitting in a corner, her feet buried deep in the earth. She was looking quite annoyed.

"It took you long enough. I didn't know when you'd wake up. So I helped you by knocking you onto your back." Toph shrugged.

"How did you get here? Without sight? The snow would've been too thick to . . . _see _anything," Zuko finished awkwardly.

Toph waved a hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. I came because I thought you'd need some help."

Zuko was more than a little mad at this claim. "You can't help me! You'll get hurt! You have no idea what will happen if you got into this! You don't even know what I'm doing!" Zuko's voice rose as he talked and he finished on a shout.

Toph calmly picked her ear with her pointer finger. "I know that you're trying to find this guy to help you find this other guy who is involved in some conspiracy, to get out of some deal so that you can actually win Miss Sugar Queen and her heart without the risk of getting killed."

Zuko gaped at the young woman. "How?" was all he could muster.

Toph shrugged with a small smile. "You know how Katara was in the Southern Water Tribe for about six months helping her family rebuild the Southern Water Tribe? Where do you think I was? Negotiating with lords and ladies to see who gets what farm, palace, and chicken-horse?"

Now that he thought about it, Zuko realized that no one knew exactly what Toph had been doing in that period. In fact, for some reason he _had _thought that she was doing her normal duties.

"So . . . I don't understand," Zuko said slowly as he sat down in front of Toph.

She leaned forward with a sly grin.

"I lied. I didn't _assume _you needed help. I _knew _you needed help. Sparky, remember that incident in the Colonies? You couldn't catch a man, and somehow someone happened to catch him?"

Zuko's mind was moving slowly. "A bounty hunter turned him in. The bounty hunter had beat me to it. I remember because it made my uncle laugh at me."

"What was the bounty hunter's name?" Toph was strangely quiet and patient.

"Easy. The . . . he didn't have a real name. No one knows his real name but it's said he's called the . . . Bandit," Zuko finished slowly, surprise engulfing him. How had he not realized . . .

"Bingo! Hello, Sparky. I'm the Bandit. I am your bounty hunter."

-Belgaria

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	5. Chapter 5

**Love and War **

**Very much sorry for the delay! Read and review! I spent a lot of time on this. You have no idea…..**

* * *

**Chapter V**

* * *

He felt incredibly dense. How many times had he heard the tales of "The Blind Bandit" and hadn't ever thought to connect them to the infamous bounty hunter known as "The Bandit"?

Zuko face-palmed himself mentally. This would explain many empty and unexplained holes in . . . well everything.

The predicament actually seemed extremely obvious once he actually stopped to thing about it. It was totally something Toph would go out and do when no one was monitoring her, and the Bandit, when he saw "him" did look oddly feminine…

Zuko paced back and forth outside of the earth tent that the earthbender had made a couple of hours earlier, trying to process what he had just heard.

_"You know me. I can't just sit around watching things go down while I'm stuck trying to figure out whether or not some stupid dam should be put in some stupid river! "_

_"So you just took the first opportunity and left?"_

_"The government wasn't doing much to deal with the problem. I know that you did a good job in keeping the whole thing a secret, but to be honest, I figured out myself that all of the raids were connected to each other."_

_"Do you realize what you've gotten yourself into?!"  
"Something that possibly could cost me my life, my reputation, and everything else? Kind of sounds familiar . . ."_

_"Toph! This is different than one enormously powerful man! This is a whole legion of powerful people! And they're everywhere. Everywhere."_

_"I know."_

The entire thing just made Zuko lost. Everything was happening so quickly. One of his best friends had just turned out to be one of the most wanted people in the world, but also the most consulted. Plus, if she was who she said she was, Zuko didn't doubt it for a second, then that meant that Toph was probably the most knowledgable person on individual peoples daily lives and secrets. Besides, of course, his uncle.

All of this was happening way to quickly for his liking. He took a moment to slow everything down.

"_To slow down and think about each individual detail is like studying the stars. There are so many, but once you look at each one of them, you realize that without one, you fail to have the larger picture," _Zuko heard his Uncle saying in his mind.

"I'm trying, Uncle," Zuko said aloud. "I really am, but I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can handle this for much longer."

It really was a complicated place to be. Until he found a way out of his stupid deal, then the sooner he can gain Katara's trust again and make sure that she was safe.

"Hey, Sparky," he heard Toph say from within her little earth tent. "From the lack of pacing, I assume this has all settled down pretty well by now."

Zuko ran a hand through his thick hair and left his hand on the top of his scalp for a few seconds before dropping it and exhaling a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to process this until it's all over."

"Well, you might want to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day; complicated. The people you're about to talk to will not want to talk to you. Some will be more than willing and you won't want to talk to them. I'm going to need to explain a lot tomorrow before we set off, so for now, let's wait this storm out and rest." Toph blew her bangs out of her eyes and scratched the back of her neck.

Zuko studied her more carefully than he had ever done before. "You're so much different now, Toph."

"How so? That's a good thing, right?"

Zuko paused. "Yeah. That's a good thing."

_For now, _he thought.

* * *

"Dad! For the last time: _We need to go, _now!"

Hakoda shook his head solemnly. "It's too dangerous. As important as the Firelord is to the world and to us especially, we cannot risk losing innocent, uninvolved lives to find him. Trust Zuko. He's fine."

Katara threw her hands up in exasperation and looked at Sokka for help. Hakoda turned around to sort some stuff on his desk and the two close siblings began a silent conversation.

_Help me!_

_No way!_

_Sokka! _

_He'll get mad!_

_Sokka!_

_Katara . . . _

_Sokka!_

_Why can't you -_

_I'll waterbend your face off._

"Look, Dad. We both know that the snowstorms can last forever; hours upon hours. What if we can't wait that long? There's a chance that Zuko could be stuck in the center of it," Sokka said.

Hakoda looked at Sokka and raised an eyebrow. "Who would go?"

"I would," Katara said immediately. "And Sokka."

Hakoda raised his other eyebrow. "And when Aang gets here and you're gone for who know how long before the most important political festival of the Southern Water Tribe?"

Katara faltered. "I . . . he'd understand."

"Katara, we both know he'd say he understood, then go off by himself to find you and Sokka, Zuko, and Toph. Then what would 'the most important political festival of the Southern Water Tribe' be without the Avatar?"

Both of the siblings remained silent. There was nothing else to say.

"Dad . . ." Katara tried again.

Hakoda looked her in the eyes, and Katara realized how tired her father was. There were shadows under his eyes; eyes that were still the same color, but had the look of an overworked man.

"Katara. You know that I would go myself if I were able to. But the truth is, right now, we need to trust Zuko and Toph's abilities and their intellect, and you need to trust me and my judgement."

Katara stood there looking at her father, and Sokka gently grabbed her shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Yes, sir," Sokka said. "We totally understand. I guess it's back to directing penguin traffic for me. . . .aaaaaannnnndddd….he's gone. Katara, listen. Aang is gonna get here any hour now. You should go and search for Zuko, and when Aang gets here, we will go and get you."

"How in the world will you know where I am, Sokka? Instinct again?" Katara teased a little.

Sokka grinned. "That. Aaand. . . this new thing that I had made from one of my designs." He slapped a large silver square onto his sister's back, in between her shoulder blades.

"Sokka, what in the world did you just do?"

"Tracking device." He pulled a large brown thing with a metal needle on it. "It's like a compass, but it's not. Instead of being attracted to the poles, it's attracted to the purest metal around. Toph made this slab of 100% iron. This baby will point me directly to my sis, regardless of what kind of devilish weather is occurring."

Sokka grinned.

Katara spun a couple of times trying to see what was on her back before giving up. "What if it falls off?"

"It won't. I can barely pull it off."

Katara gave her brother a small smile. "Ah. Because that totally answered my question."

"Just go!"

Katara kissed her brother quickly on the cheek. "You're the best, Sokka. Oh, and you might want to shave."

He looked at her incredulously. "No way am I killing _this_ symbol of manliness!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Okay. I'll see you in a bit."

And then she raced off.

Sokka followed her with his eyes and waited for her to be out of sight. "I hope I just did the right thing," he said to himself.

* * *

Aang was ready to see his friends again. Actually, after being away for practically three years, seeing all of his friends together seemed completely unrealistic.

He did feel more than a little bad that he couldn't have come earlier when everyone else was coming, but it wasn't his fault that he was the Avatar.

_"It's because I never wanted to be,"_ he had said many years before.

He never did. And he still didn't want to be the Avatar. But he knew that he had to embrace it.

What had made him feel less guilty about being the last one to arrive was that he wasn't really the last one to arrive. He had gotten a messenger hawk from Kyoshi island from Sokka's girlfriend asking for a ride to the South Pole.

Aang felt something vibrate underneath him and looked down. "C'mon buddy! We're almost there! Kyoshi, then Katara."

Appa grumbled.

"Well, we can't just stop. You can't swim that well, and I am definitely not waterbending us the rest of the way there."

Appa shook his head and ruffled his fur.

"Look! See Appa, buddy! It's right there!"

Sure enough, getting larger in the distance was Kyoshi island. The place was still green and . . . well, and island. Like it had been last time he had arrived there on a business trip.

"Yip, yip!"

Appa sped up and was more than happy to have reached the halfway point of his trip. Once all of his large, furry feet had touched the ground, the large sky-bison had collapsed on his side, and made a show of rolling onto his back with his legs in the air like a dead beetle. His tongue was even hanging out.

"Appa!" Aang laughed. "I'll be right back."

The now tall Avatar trekked up the hidden path that really wasn't that hidden to him anymore. The first time he had come to Kyoshi without anyone else, it had taken him hours to find the right way.

His footsteps light, as always, carried him quickly to the small, humble Kyoshi village. But something wasn't right . . .

Aang ducked as a large ice spear flew over him where his head had been moments before, and impaled itself into the opposite wall of the house on the opposite side of the road.

"Wait -"

He backflipped as a giant fireball whizzed towards him and landed lightly on his feet. Aang looked to the source of the fireball. And saw nothing.

"Where in the world is everyone?" he wondered.

Another fireball shot towards him and this time Aang firebent it back towards the source. He heard a deep grunt and ran towards the sound.

A shortish man with a full beard and dark hair that was slicked back was on the ground, knocked out. Aang acted fast and trapped the man with earth.

All it took was a large splash of water and the man was startled awake.

It took a minute for the man to realize who had captured him. It didn't seem to faze him at all.

"Avatar," the man snarled.

"What happened here? Where is everyone?" Aang asked forcefully.

"Kyoshi is now in possession of the Phoenix. You have nowhere to run, Avatar. This place is surrounded. The Phoenix can't be stopped. The blaze will continue forwards!"

Aang put his staff underneath the man's chin, forcing the man to make eye contact with him.

"Where is everyone?"

The man just looked at Aang with steely resolve. Aang was beginning to get frustrated. If he went to the South Pole without Suki, Sokka was going to kill him and - wait . . .

"Did you just say . . . 'the Phoenix'? As in the 'Pheonix King'?" Aang felt chills go down his spine, turning extremely hot when it reached that familiar place in the small of his back . . .

"You didn't think everything would just die when he was defeated, did you? They said this would be hard to do." The man snorted.

Aang was really close to just pushing the guy into the ground and leaving him there. But his monk teachings wouldn't allow something like that.

Before he could even think of what to ask next, the man's eyes widened and Aang heard a grunt, the sound of something hitting the ground, and then the man in front of him was unconscious due to a fan that had nailed him in between the eyes.

Aang whirled around and found himself face to face with a familiar brown haired, brown eyed Kyoshi warrior.

"Suki!"

"Aang? I didn't expect you to be here until tomorrow!"

Aang chuckled slightly. "Well, I was sort of ahead of schedule."

"Good thing too. Our village was taken not too long ago. A bunch of men came in in red cloaks with some sort of symbol. There were too many. The Kyoshi warriors held them off long enough to evacuate the village, but we got run over.

"Well, almost all of us."

Aang positioned his staff next to him like a walking stick. "So, what should we do? Should we still go to the South Pole? Or do you want the Avatar's help in finding the Kyoshi warriors?"

Suki shook her head. "Aang, I'm going to need all the help I can get. As much as I don't want to leave them for any longer, and as much as I don't want to mess up the Southern Water Tribe's huge celebration, we need to get our friend's help."

Aang nodded. "C'mon. Let's go. Appa should be somewhere on the shore of the lake."

"What if the men have gotten to him?" Suki jogged a little to keep up with Aang's long strides.

"Appa is capable of defending himself," Aang replied confidently.

They walked briskly, and just as Aang had predicted, there was a pile of unconscious men around Appa, who was looking more than proud of himself.

"Good job, buddy," Aang praised his friend and scratched him on the head.

"I'm sorry for the brief rest, but we need to get going as soon as possible. We're in trouble."

Appa got on his stomach so that Aang and Suki could easily get onto his back. Suki laughed when Appa tried to get her attention.

"Hi to you to, Appa. C'mon Aang, I'm set. We need to go."

Aang nodded. "Yip, yip!"

Appa took off, and Suki looked back over her home. Aang looked back at her.

"It's okay. We'll get help as soon as we can, I promise."

"I'm so sorry Aang," Suki began.

Aang shook his head. "An Avatar's work is never done."

"I just hope we can fix this."

"The man said something about a Pheonix," Aang said as he faced forwards.

"Like . . . as in the Pheonix King?" Suki asked hesitantly.

Aang shook his head, feeling the familiar burning sensation in the small of his back.

"I hope not. You have no idea how much I hope it isn't."

* * *

Sokka walked into the hut with almost no expectations other than to see the once unconscious man conscious again.

He wasn't necessarily disappointed.

"How are you?" Sokka asked Figaro.

"I suppose I've been better," was the reply. Sokka remembered that Katara had said that Figaro had had a unique accent.

"So, I was wondering, what in the world is this festival thing that I keep hearing about?" Figaro asked Sokka as Sokka handed the man a pair of new boots.

Sokka shrugged. "It's not really a big deal."

Figaro raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Sokka continued: "It's a HUGE deal! The place you're in, I think you've gathred it's one of the poles, used to be a itsy bitsy little tribe of women and me. Now it's a city! A civilization!"

Figaro laughed at the young warrior's enthusiasm. "You ought to show me around then. I assume I'm invited to this special fesitval." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Of course! Here, I'll give you a tour of the place so you don't get lost later tonight when the festival starts."

Figaro stepped into the light for the first time in around forty eight hours and blinked against the bright sun. When he had gotten adjusted, he rolled his shoulders. "Let's get cracking. But one question first, mate. Will everyone be outside tonight?"

* * *

Zuko and Toph took a while climbing up the other side of the canyon. As it turns out, the reason that Toph was able to descend into the canyon by herself in the first place was because the ice was thinly covering more than a few large rocks. This time however, it looked like most of what they were climbing was ice.

"Are you okay?" Zuko called up to where Toph was. He had made her go first so that he could see her.

"Yeah! Deprivation from the element I am completely dependent on is absolutely okay!" Toph yelled back sarcastically.

Zuko, sensing that the earthbender was extremely irritated, kept his mouth shut.

It took a while, but they did eventually get to the top of the canyon, where Toph, with as much dignity as she had left, marched on towards the direction of the camp.

Zuko followed, his steps gradually sinking deeper and deeper into the thick snow. The Firelord warmed his hands in an attempt to get himself to stop his shivering, but it didn't really do much.

Thankfully, they had avoided the snowstorm, much to both of their relief. Zuko gritted his teeth as another sharp wind blew across his face, and he pulled the borrowed furs around him tighter.

_Note to self: don't live here._

"It's really hard to see!" Toph called back to Zuko.

"Well, how in the world do you know you're going in the right direction?" Zuko responded in annoyance.

"Easy. I just go in a straight line. Some people can do that," Toph said irritably.

It didn't take a genius to see that Toph was a little on edge. Zuko opened his mouth and almost asked Toph what was bothering her, before he decided he should probably wait for her to calm down.

They trekked on for a while, and by the time the tops of the roofs of the huts were in sight along the horizon, the canyon was far behind them, and the sun was at its peak in the sky.

They were in the outskirts of the small village when Toph stopped and faced Zuko.

"Listen," she began seriously, "I'm sure you've talked to these people before, but ever since the whole Pheonix rebellion stuff has started, they've gotten really edgy. Let me talk. We don't want these people against the Firelord."

Zuko nodded then, realizing Toph was blind, answered with, "Got it."

They walked through the village on the main road, which just happened to be flattened and smoothed out ice in between huts, headed towards what Zuko assumed was the center.

As they passed the huts, Zuko felt the men and women's gazes on his face, specifically on his scar. Never had it really been an overly sensitive subject, but now, Zuko felt like covering his face with his hand.

As they continued in silence through the even more silent village, Zuko realized something incredible: there were zero children in the village. None whatsoever.

"Toph, where -"

"We're almost there. Shush," Toph whispered as they approached a large igloo.

Guarding the entrance to the igloo, which was blocked by a curtain made of some sort of animal fur, were two large men. Both had braided hair, stubbles on their chin, and three vertical scars running down the length of their faces.

Zuko looked up at them in awe. Zuko was naturally tall. To find men so much taller than him was . . . unsettling.

Toph's left eyebrow twitched when she approached the men, but that seemed to be enough, for they let her through. Zuko kept his face blank, trying not to give the rather intimidating men a grip on him, and made his way through.

As he passed in between the men, he felt their gazes upon him, and fighting incredibly hard, Zuko continued on without looking back at him.

He was studying the stone floor of the igloo with curiosity (it hadn't been there the last time he had been here) when he ran directly into Toph's back.

"Toph! Why aren't you -"

Zuko took in what Toph was staring at. Well, 'seeing'.

In the middle of the igloo, tied to a wooden pole with a piece of cloth around her mouth, looking very much angry was a familiar blue eyed waterbender that really shouldn't have been there.

And, believe it or not, she was glaring holes directly into Zuko.

Zuko sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hey . . . Katara . . ."

* * *

-Belgaria

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